Yoga can be challenging to begin with, but doing it in a heated room can feel next-level intimidating.
Like most forms of exercise, hot yoga comes with benefits as well as risks to know about prior to your first class. The heated mind-body practice is beloved by some, while it’s a hard skip for others. But is it for you?
Read on to learn more about what is involved in hot yoga, any benefits and risks associated with the practice and a glimpse at what you could see in class.
What is hot yoga?
Hot yoga is just what it sounds like — yoga done in a heated room.
The practice was popularized by Bikram yoga, a hatha-style class done in a 105-degree room with 40% humidity, consisting of 26 postures and two breathwork sequences. Bikram, named after its controversial founder who was the subject of the 2019 Netflix documentary, began in the 1970s, and many other practices of hot yoga have since emerged.
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The length, temperature and yoga style that make up a hot yoga class is largely dictated by the studio you’re practicing at.
At Modo Yoga LA, for example, the temperature is kept at 99-100 degrees and 40-60% humidity, a formula that its co-founder Alice Toyonaga describes to TODAY.com as accessible, sustainable and follows one of their pillars, “be healthy.”
Toyonaga says their studios offer hot yoga classes in traditional yoga styles, such as hatha, vinyasa and yin, but also hybrid series that incorporate other workouts, such as HIIT or Pilates, in a heated room.
“Just like with everything else, not all hot yoga is created equal,” Toyonaga explains. “And so, quite often, we’ll have people who’ve been like, ‘Oh, I tried this, and that wasn’t for me.’ And that’s absolutely fair, and it doesn’t mean that one type is right or wrong.”
Hot yoga temperature
In Bikram hot yoga, poses are performed in a 105-degree room with 40% humidity. For other hot yoga classes, the studios determine the temperature. While Cleveland Clinic reports that the room for hot yoga is typically heated between 90 and 105 degrees, the temperature can go lower or higher than that range.
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Room temperature for hot yoga typically ranges between 90 and 105 degrees. Tom Werner / Getty Images
Is hot yoga good for you?
The physical and mental benefits of doing yoga apply to its heated version. Common pros to the practice include building muscle, toning, increasing flexibility, dealing with the stresses of daily life and practicing mindfulness. But some of those benefits are amplified in elevated heat.
Improved flexibility
When exposed to higher temperatures, Toyonaga says muscles become more flexible and joints increase their range of motion.
“While there are definitely demographics of people who do yoga who are already quite flexible, what they need to work on is, let’s say, strength over mobility,” she continues. “We are working on a computer. We’re hunched over. We are behind the wheel of a car here in LA. So there’s just a lot. We’re just a static culture, so to speak.”
“And so, we do need any little assist to our range of motion to get a deeper stretch within poses,” she continues. “The heat is definitely something that helps to do that.”
Improved heart health
Another plus to doing hot yoga is that it’s more physically demanding and therefore makes the heart pump faster, which can improve cardiovascular health, as long as there are no preexisting conditions.
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Reduced stress
Beyond the physical benefits, hot yoga can also help one’s mental state through the adversity faced inside of a heated room and the de-stressing that comes with it.
“It does play a big psychological role in that you are overcoming this challenge and adversity with your breath, and you’re doing that on your mat,” Toyonaga says. “It’s a controlled environment, but what an awesome lesson that we can take with us in line at Trader Joe’s.”
She added: “I feel like a lot of the times, with the heat and we’re trying to get through this class, we are in a way becoming more present than when we’re off of our mats because we are focused on this next breath, this next pose, this next sequence, and being that embodied and that present really helps us get out of our own way and (is) a really nice way to destress.”
Are there any risks or dangers to hot yoga?
When thinking about doing a hot yoga class for an extended period, you might be wondering if the heated practice comes with any health risks.
First, and most importantly, if you have any specific concerns or underlying preexisting conditions, always check with your doctor before taking a hot yoga class.
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A common risk when it comes to practicing hot yoga is dehydration, due to the loss of water weight from sweating in high temperatures and humidity. This can lead to feeling faint or ill during class.
Toyonaga stresses the importance of having an ample amount of water before and after class, because if you start to feel unwell during the practice, you might already be dehydrated and “drinking during that yoga class is not going to make much of a difference.”
While heat helps muscle flexibility and loosens joints, Dr. Jordan D. Metzl, a sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery, says it’s important to avoid exaggerating your stretches at the risk of injury.
“The risk is you can overstretch a hamstring or a quad or a hip, and sometimes put yourself in a position where you’re getting a little more stretch out of that muscle than it’s used to being,” he tells TODAY.com.
“You can sometimes make an injury a little more pronounced than it would normally be because you get the position a little more exaggerated than you normally would be because you don’t feel it as much when you’re in that really hot environment,” he continues.
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Metzl gives simple advice to prevent yourself from going too deep into stretches: Listen to your body.
“You just have to be smart about not looking at the person next to you and trying to emulate them,” he continues. “Just listen to your body … to make sure you’re not overdoing it, and just being mindful that you’re not feeling really faint or it’s too much for you, especially at the beginning.”
Natalia Perez-Segnini, a yoga teacher, functional and therapeutic breathwork coach, Tone House coach and mindset guide, encourages taking a rest or stepping outside the studio, if you start to feel unwell.
“Stop, lay down, get in child’s pose, Savasana, a restful position for you and find your breath again,” she tells TODAY.com. “And when you’re able to feel that steady flow within your inhales and your exhales, then ask yourself if you want to try it again.”
Hot yoga has both benefits and potential risks that first-timers should be aware of before trying the heated practice.Tom Werner / Getty Images
What should beginners know before going to class?
In addition to staying hydrated before and after class, and understanding the potential risks of the practice, people who are new to hot yoga should generally take their first few classes slow and focus on adjusting to the temperature.
“The first three to five classes, you’re getting used to the heat. That’s what you’re doing,” Toyonaga says. “You need to rest as much as you need to rest in that room, so that we’re getting used to the heat. So if you lie there for the whole hour, just pretend you’re on the beach in Mexico. You’re still doing it.’”
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Perez-Segnini emphasizes that for all yogis, but especially beginners, it’s important to pay attention to how they feel throughout the course of the practice.
“This practice, hot yoga, regular yoga in general, is less about the shapes that you’re making with your body, and more about what you feel in your body,” she explains.
Perez-Segnini says that when she first started taking up hot yoga, she wishes someone told her that you don’t have to stick to just one intention, but rather figure it out as you go.
“In class, in the middle of a posture, halfway through, after, you’re allowed to change your mind about the why,” she says. “You’re allowed to change your mind about what you’re doing, and if that means coming out of a pose because you don’t feel great, or realizing that you’re taking it too far … there’s always time to change our minds, no matter where we’re at in life, no matter where in class we are.”
What to wear to hot yoga
What do you wear while exercising in an over-90-degree room for an extended period of time? When in doubt, go with something that you feel comfortable in — and avoid cotton.
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“What we will see in the hot room will be more technical fabrics, like things that you would wear to the gym, as opposed to cotton,” Toyonaga says. “A lot of our favorite brands have sweat-wicking clothing, whether it’s tights or shorts, sports bra, a tank top, T-shirt, whatever it is.”
Perez-Segnini says that while it may seem “counterintuitive,” she wears a sports bra paired with pants, which absorb her sweat and gives her more traction.
“If there are any arm balances in class, (there’s) no shot I’m able to pop up into crow with shorts on because I’m sweating so hard, and then that’s dangerous, because you’re slipping off of your own skin,” she explains. “There’s more traction, you have more grip available, depending on the posture that you’re in, when you have skin to fabric contact.”
However, Perez-Segnini says that everyone has different preferences, and that finding what works best for you clothing-wise is part of the process.
Comfort is most important when it comes to deciding what to wear to a hot yoga practice.Tom Werner / Getty Images
Poses in hot yoga classes
Just like in any yoga class, the postures you’re asked to do will vary by location and instructor, and there aren’t any poses specific to hot yoga itself. However, here are some common postures to get you in the right mindset for what’s to come.
You might know Chris Pontius as ‘Party Boy’ from the Jackass films and TV series that defined the early 2000s. Now 51, he’s back on our screens for Jackass: Best and Last, the fifth and final instalment in the franchise. Away from the stunts, though, Pontius has also become an unlikely source of practical fitness advice, regularly sharing workouts from his home gym.
In a recent Instagram Reel, he shared: ‘I have a very simple exercise tip for people who are having trouble getting motivated to exercise. Just lift the weight one time, do one rep, one push-up, whatever it is, and once you’ve started you kind of go, “Well, I might as well just keep going”.’
‘So try it, it’s worked for me every time and it’ll probably work for you,’ he says.
The advice is grounded in behavioural science. By taking one small step towards your workout, you’re more likely to overcome the initial mental resistance because the task feels more achievable. Once you’ve started, it’s far easier to build momentum and complete the rest of your session.
Our Fitness Director Explains Why This Method Works
‘There’s a bit of science behind this, too,’ says Andrew Tracey. ‘Behaviour-change researchers have looked at “all-or-nothing thinking” around exercise – basically, the idea that if you can’t do the full session, exactly as planned, you may as well sack it off completely. Giving yourself permission to do the smallest possible version of the workout is a way around that.
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‘Tell yourself you’re only doing the warm-up. Or one round. Or five minutes. You’re allowed to stop there. But often, once you’ve started, you realise the hard part wasn’t the workout itself. It was getting going. Research also shows that the way a workout feels can affect whether you come back for more. So a small win that feels doable is almost always better than the perfect session you never start. So while the “minimum dose” might feel like a cop-out, it could actually be a way in.’
If there’s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it’s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in – all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.
Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men’s Health app.
“Forget living longer, exercise can make life easier right now”—a 72-year-old fitness influencer and marathon runner shares two accessible ways to start moving
Retirement is often a time when people slow down, but in Christine Hobson’s case, she’s speeding up. When her daughter persuaded her to join a running club so she wouldn’t get bored, she had no idea she’d get the fitness bug and run 125 marathons in total, visiting all seven continents.
And the 72-year-old former teacher has plans to run the North Pole marathon in 2027.
Hobson, who believes that exercise is the best anti-aging hack, tells Fit&Well: “I think what makes you old is not doing anything and just being sedentary, sitting around watching TV all the time. I really believe the less you move, the less you’re able to move, so when I retired at almost 61, I decided that my new job was to get fit.
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“Aging isn’t just about age—if you make life easier now, the future will look after itself,” she says.
Hobson, who strength trains too, has since become a fitness influencer, amassing over 132,000 followers on Instagram, where she shares workouts and her thoughts on exercise.
“I get loads of messages from people who are scared to exercise because they don’t want to fall over and get injured,” she says. “But getting stronger builds your confidence and means that you can do the things you want without needing help. It’s not about living forever. And it’s never too late to start. You’ve got to start from where you are.”
Here shares her two best tips for getting started with fitness, whatever your age.
Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox.
1. Perform the sit-to-stand exercise
Hobson says an essential exercise to incorporate into your day is the sit-to-stand—a move that involves sitting and standing up from a chair without using your hands.
To build your strength, Hobson suggests doing the sit-to-stand 10 times each time you walk past a chair in your house. Once you’ve got the technique, she recommends trying it from a lower chair or couch to make it more challenging.
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“The sit-to-stand is critical,” says Hobson. “If you can do that, that’s the thing that’s going to keep you independent in your own home. Because if you live alone and you can’t get up, then how are you going to look after yourself independently? The next thing will be that you can’t get out of your bed, and then you’re in trouble.”
Hobson began with the sit-to-stand exercise, and has progressed to squat with a 35kg barbell and deadlift 75kg.
Many people think motivation will just appear, says Hobson, but she says: “There’s no such thing as motivation really. It’s discipline. It’s building a habit. You’ve got to book your workouts in like a meeting at work, which is what I did when I retired. I prioritized fitness like a job.
“I also have my workout clothes ready to make sure I exercise—even if I’m planning to do it later in the day. I get dressed so I can’t talk myself out of it.”
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2. Walk a mile a day
If you’re totally new to exercise, or returning after a long break, Hobson says walking is an excellent place to start.
“We are a species that is supposed to move, and even a short 20-minute walk will support your heart, your ability to control your blood sugar levels, and help you mentally and physically,” she says.
Her trick is to listen to audiobooks while she walks to encourage her to go further.
“This is how I started before I ran my first marathon,” she says. “I walked a mile a day and I really forced myself to do it come rain or shine. After about five or six weeks I found that I wanted to go more.
“And one of the things that helped was listening to audiobooks. If I got home and I had got to an exciting bit in the book I would have to go back out again to hear the next chapter so it would make me walk a bit further.”
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Hobson describes herself as a run-walker, saying she has completed all her marathons that way. “I started exercising for something to do when I retired. Now I do it because it makes life easier.”
CrossFit means a lot of things to a lot of people – because it’s made up of a lot of things.
Since the rise of the fitness giant, countless brands, events and training methods have sprung up around it – not claiming to be CrossFit, but looking suspiciously CrossFit-esque.
There are, however, a handful of things that are uniquely CrossFit: the ‘Girls’ benchmark workouts. The Hero WODs and, of course, its signature rep schemes.
Chief among them is ’21-15-9′.
The 21-15-9 rep scheme may just be the single most CrossFit thing in existence. But what exactly is it? Where did it come from? And why might it actually be better at building muscle in a hurry than its conditioning roots would have you believe?
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Let’s have a look.
What Is 21-15-9?
If you’ve never encountered it before, the format couldn’t be simpler. Choose two exercises (occasionally more) and perform 21 reps of each, then 15 reps of each, then nine reps of each, completing the entire workout as quickly as possible – with good form.
Probably the best-known example is ‘Fran’: 21 thrusters and pull-ups, followed by 15 of each, then nine. On paper it doesn’t look especially intimidating. In practice, it’s one of the most feared benchmark workouts in fitness.
Where Did it Come From?
Unlike many modern training methods, 21-15-9 didn’t come out of a study. It came from the gym floor.
CrossFit founder Greg Glassman has explained that the format emerged through years of coaching and experimentation in the 1990s. Rather than chasing a perfect sets-and-reps prescription, he was looking for a workout that allowed athletes to maintain a high power output from start to finish.
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The thinking is surprisingly elegant. You begin with 21 reps while fresh. By the time you reach the set of 15, your ability to produce force has already fallen. By the final nine, you’re significantly more fatigued – but the workload has dropped by almost the same amount.
Instead of grinding through increasingly miserable sets of the same length, the workout ‘meets you where you are’, reducing the work required as your capacity declines. The result is a workout that encourages you to keep moving instead of standing around trying to recover.
The numbers themselves are also remarkably practical. Forty-five total reps per movement provides plenty of training volume without turning the session into an endurance slog, while every set divides neatly into thirds if you need to break it up.
(Although I’ve got to be honest, I’m a 20-15-10-5 man myself, just for the sake of round numbers.)
Why Does it Work So Well?
Although there isn’t research showing that 21-15-9 is somehow the magic formula, there are obvious reasons why it consistently produces brutally effective workouts.
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Descending reps help maintain intensity. As fatigue accumulates, reducing the target allows movement quality, bar speed and overall work rate to stay higher than they would if you simply repeated the same number of reps over and over.
It also tends to land in a physiological sweet spot. Most 21-15-9 workouts take between three and eight minutes, depending on the movements and the athlete. That’s long enough to create a serious cardiovascular challenge while still requiring meaningful force production throughout. You’re taxing your anaerobic systems hard while relying on your aerobic system to help you recover just enough to keep going.
Finally, there’s the psychological trick. The hardest-looking part comes first. Once you’ve survived the opening 21, every remaining round appears more manageable. ‘Only 15 left.’ Then, ‘Just nine.’ In reality, you’re becoming more fatigued with every rep, but the shrinking target keeps you attacking the workout instead of pacing too conservatively.
Why it Might be Surprisingly Good for Building Muscle
Perhaps the biggest misconception about 21-15-9 is that it’s ‘just cardio with weights’.
Choose the right load and something interesting happens. Very few athletes complete every round unbroken. Instead, the workout naturally evolves into a series of short, broken sets separated by only a few seconds of rest.
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Your 21 might become 11-5-5. Your 15 becomes 8-4-3. Your final nine might stay unbroken – or become 5-4.
In effect, you’ve accidentally turned the workout into a form of rest-pause training.
Those brief pauses allow just enough recovery to squeeze out more high-quality repetitions before fatigue catches up again. By the latter stages of each mini-set, you’re repeatedly working very close to failure, recruiting the high-threshold motor units with the greatest potential for muscle growth.
It’s a similar principle to rest-pause training, myo-reps and cluster sets: all methods used to accumulate hypertrophy-friendly volume while keeping the load relatively heavy and the rest periods brutally short.
You’re basically speed-running a large number of hard, growth-stimulating reps in a very small window of time. Could this help explain why elite CrossFit athletes often carry an impressive amount of muscle despite spending relatively little time performing traditional bodybuilding splits?
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It’s certainly plausible, although the ‘elite’ part often selects for athletes with the greatest muscle-building potential.
Much of their training isn’t simply conditioning. It’s high-density resistance training performed under accumulating fatigue, with only fleeting recovery between efforts. In other words, they’re often doing something bodybuilders have deliberately programmed for decades: packing a lot of hard work into a very short period of time.
That’s not to say 21-15-9 is superior to a well-designed hypertrophy programme. If your sole goal is building muscle, there are more efficient ways to do it.
But if you’re looking for a workout that develops fitness, tests your mettle and still provides a meaningful stimulus for strength and size, it’s easy to see why this deceptively simple rep scheme has remained one of CrossFit’s defining fingerprints for more than 20 years.
Best Bodyweight 21-15-9 Workout: ‘JT’
If you’re looking for an interesting twist on the 21-15-9 format, look no further than Hero WOD ‘JT’, which concentrates the muscle-building potential of the format into a brutal upper-body workout.
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Created in honour of Petty Officer 1st Class Jeff Taylor, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2006, the workout strips away barbells altogether and relies solely on three bodyweight movements:
21-15-9 reps of:
Don’t let the lack of equipment fool you. The volume – 45 reps of each movement, 135 reps in total – combined with the descending rep scheme makes this a brutal upper-body test, hammering the shoulders, chest and triceps while demanding serious muscular endurance.
Better still, it perfectly demonstrates one of the biggest strengths of 21-15-9. As fatigue mounts and the sets naturally fragment, the workout begins to resemble one giant rest-pause set, allowing you to accumulate a huge number of hard, near-failure reps in less than 10 minutes.
If your goal is building an impressive upper body while developing serious work capacity, there are few bodyweight workouts that deliver quite so much bang for your buck, making ‘JT’ one of my personal favourites.
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If there’s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it’s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in – all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.
Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men’s Health app.
